So yesterday I had another great time of ministry at the A-Zone. I did get to play football with the same group of lads and guess what, I won!! Yes that is right, for the first time in the history of the Albion High School, and possibly the world, an American won at Knock Out. Granted, I was playing with a bunch of 12-14 year olds but that’s beside the point. When I won I pretty much acted like a fool, running around the sports hall, giving everyone imaginary high-fives, making my own crowd noises, and thanking the sports world etc. All the lads had a good laugh and said it would never happen again.
After we finished Knock Out they decided they wanted to play a game of “Longies” which is kind of like tennis but with a football (that’s the best explanation I could think of). What was cool is instead of being picked last (as usual), I was the 2nd pick. Again, football is really just the backdrop for the deeper things going on as I continue to try to be Jesus with skin on to the lads.
Last night at the Albert Park Youth Club I got to play even more football. This morning I am most certainly feeling the effects as I’m hobbling around the house. Last night it was spitting rain and in the low 50’s but we played anyway. Most of the lads and girls we played football with are aged 15 to 18 so it’s a bit more competitive and physical. For some reason things were really heated last night and the young people were really on edge. Things were getting pretty physical between myself and a few other lads. They all enjoy taking cheap shots at the Americans but especially me because I’ll play physically back, stand up for myself, and challenge them when things go too far. Throughout the night there was one lad I was really challenging on his language, for playing selfishly, and for playing down right dirty against me. Because I stood up to him and didn’t back down, he and one of his mates put a hit out on me. So yes, towards the end of the game a lad that has about 50 pounds on me took me out and I hit the ground hard, really hard. In the two seconds I was on the ground and in pain, I knew I had a choice, I could react in the way they wanted or expected or I could react like Jesus would have, so I jumped up and yelled “that’s football boys, play on” and proceed to steal the ball from the guy who had taken me out.
At the end of the game, several of the young people were giving out high-fives and telling each other that the game was “well played.” This is pretty out of the ordinary for them because threats of a fight with another player is how the evening typically ends. The young people even gave me high-fives and told me that I played well. Even though it was a tough night, I know they saw something different in me and they understood there was something deeper going on.
Again, it’s little victories like that where we can show the young people we are working with that there is another way, possibly a better way, and that is the way of Jesus.
So, again, today I celebrate the little kingdom victories of yesterday.
Be Jesus with skin on!!
Chad
